“The plan for the re-establishment of the Homeland is one which must appeal to the sympathies of all,” was the greeting extended to the Zionist convention here by President Coolidge in his message to the Chairman of the convention. “Please express,” the message continues, “to the Zionist Organization of America, my good wishes on the occasion of their annual convention. I trust that your meeting will be in every way a success.”
A radio to the convention from Colonel Kisch, the representative of the Zionist Organization in Palestine, expressed confidence in the future devotion of the American Zionists.
A message from Samuel Untermyer expressed regret at his inability to attend the convention and stated:
“At no time in the history of the Palestinian movement has it been so important for the Jews of America to lend a willing ear to the cry for help for Palestine. Every other avenue of escape from misery and persecution is closed, including this country, to our humiliation be it said. Palestine is the only haven.”
A cable from the Zionist Executive in Jerusalem was read to the convention. It stated that an unprecedented wave of emigration from the countries of Eastern Europe to Palestine is now in progress and that efforts are under way to bring to Palestine a large number of the emigrants who have been left stranded in the various ports of Europe because of the new anti-immigration law in the United States. The success of these efforts, the cable states, will hinge upon the resources of the Keren Hayesod.
Resolutions were unanimously passed paying tribute to Dr. Weizmann for his efforts in strengthening the Keren Hayesod
and in the movement to bring about the ultimate accord of all Jews for the upbuilding of Palestine. The resolution pledges him unreserved support and wishes him long life and strength for Zionist service.
Another resolution was passed by the convention yesterday praising the valuable services of Dr. Ruppin in this country.
That the wealthy non-Zionist element of American Jewry, represented at the February Astor Hotel Conference called by Mr. Louis Marshall has indicated that it is favorable to the idea of entering the Jewish Agency and sharing the responsibility in the economic upbuilding of Palestine, was reported by Mr. Morris Rothenberg at yesterday afternoon session. He stated that while he was in no position to report the details of the recent negotiations with the nor##partisan agency committee, appointed by the Hotel Astor Conference, he felt justified in believing the above outcome.
He informed the conference that the non-Zionist conference will be reconvened early in the Fall to receive the report of the agency committee, and that if the action of this conference is favorable, it is probable that a larger conference, including representatives of the non-Zionist groups and organizations will be called to elect representatives to the Agency.
Mr. Rothenberg recalled the decision of the last Congress to grant to the non-Zionist element a fifty percent representation; and if the non-partisan conference decides to enter the Agency on the basis of this joint responsibility, Dr. Weizmann has proposed to eliminate the Jahres Conferenz this year and convene instead a Zionist Congress early in Winter, by which time Dr. Weizmann’s negotiations with the European non-Zionists will be known.
Mr. Rothenberg concluded his report by stating that a committee is now at work drawing up plan for incorporation of the five million dollar investment corporation initiated at the Hotel Astor Conference, and that a Board of Directors was being secured, which will have the fullest confidence of American Jewry, and which will undoubtedly subscribe substantial sums before the public is approached.
Following Mr. Rothenberg’s report, a resolution was unanimously passed expressing satisfaction with the negotiations. An opposition threatened by the speech of Rabbi Jurman of Waterbury, the recently resigned leader of the Brandeis group, was averted by the strong answer of Abraham Goldberg. Rabbi Jurman expressed mistrust of the non-Zionist element and urged the Zionists to continue without surrendering any share of control to##. He begged them not to sell their “birthright for a mess of pottage.” Mr. Goldberg replied by saying that this fear was unjustified; that the Zionists were organized and the non-Zionists were not, and that moreover among the non-Zionist
fifty percent there would always be at least one pro-Zionist, who would give the Zionists a majority in emergencies. “Every effort must be made,” he stated, “to unite all the Jews in the upbuilding of Palestine. We must have more faith in the non-Zionists, and we cannot afford to lose the aid which they are now willing to give.”
Mr. Emanuel Neumann, Secretary of the Keren Hayesod reported to the conference that $8,500,000 has been raised for Palestine by American Jews in the past three years, of which $6,000,000 has been raised by the Keren Hayesod.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
